Thursday, 26 March 2009

I'm actually fully embracing all those hot colours around. I'm very wary of trends sometimes when it hits the shops and gets overwhelming but as we start to see glimpses of summer, I just can't get enough.

I think the trick maybe, like all trends I suppose, is to make them our own, add them to our style.

Sunday, 22 March 2009

Just heard on the grapevine Rock Star and Oasis front man, Liam Gallagher, is to launch a menswear clothing line, 'Pretty Green'. To be launched later in the year, the star points out the line is 'everything he would wear' and is of his own personal style, including Parkers, jumpers and oh, definitely NOT skinny jeans.

Check out the video to see his hilarious reaction to them and 'pointy shoes'!

The exclusive interview is available in GQ, in stores June 4th. I'll definitely be having a peek!

I love this jacket. I love that it's so simple but: draws attention to the waist; incorporates drape which is huge for Spring/Summer '09; stops at the elbow to show off slinky wrists and helps make spring dressing that bit easier and finally that it's Warehouse but doesn't look Warehouse - more All Saints meets Reiss. Mmm...

Friday, 20 March 2009

Of Spring '09's looks, I just didn't know if I could pull off the printed dress. So, for some inspiration I logged on to my faithful laptop and voilà!

The poster girl for London style, Alexa Chung shows us how it's done, combining a cute printed summer dress with a classic trench with a vintage leather holdall - making it the perfect summer-in-the city look.

Thursday, 19 March 2009

Unfortunately I didn't have time last time I was in London but I was planning on checking out the current exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum: 'Swedish Fashion: Exploring A New Identity' which explores how since the 1990's Sweden has seen a growing sense of avant garde within design and showcases the work of thirteen up-and-coming fashion and jewellery designers showing a new, bold and surprising take on Swedish fashion.

Having already been featured heavily in the Spring/Summer '09 shows, the eighties looks set to stay...at least for another season with designers making references left, right and center.

Most prominent was Louis Vuitton's Autumn/Winter '09 collection where Marc Jacobs took inspiration from '...all those great French muses of the late eighties', specifically citing Marie Seznec, Victoire de Castellane and Inès de la Fressange and channelling the look through a collection of poufed, ruffled and ruched pieces complete with lots of prints and leather, bubble skirts and bejewelled satin leggings.

The collection also featured plenty of rich accessories that only took the eighties references further with leather necklaces and belts, thigh boots topped with ruffles and garish glitter covered heels. The all important bags took a similar route having been adorned with pie crust frills (another massive trend for A/W '09) and gilded monograms.

Altogether it was received as a welcome break from the usual Autumn/Winter collections with some cheerful flirty fun.

Friday, 13 March 2009

On my adventures to London recently I checked out the Deutsche Borse Photography Prize 2009 at The Photographer's Gallery, which recognises a living photographer, of any nationality in Europe, through an exhibition or publication over the past year.

The contenders this year were:

Paul Graham (b. 1956, UK) nominated for his publication, A Shimmer of Possibility (steidlMACK, October 2007).

Emily Jacir (b.1970, Palestine) nominated for her installation, Material for a Film, presented at the 2007 Venice Biennale (7 June – 21 November 2007).

Tod Papageorge (b.1940, USA) nominated for the exhibition Passing Through Eden- Photographs of Central Park at Michael Hoppen Gallery, London (7 March - 12 April 2008).

Taryn Simon (b.1975, USA) nominated for her exhibition An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar at The Photographers' Gallery, London (13 September -11 November 2007).

I loved Tod Papageorge's for his retro pictures of New York's Central Park (biased given my love for all things New York...) but I also found curiously interesting as it was so fact-based and was verging on education whilst still having mesmerising, beautiful photographs. Stay tuned for the winner on March 25th.

Monday, 9 March 2009

On a visit to a rather chilly, rainy London the other day, a dear friend directed me to shelter. Or so I thought. She had actually directed me to the sweetest little cupcake shop I have ever seen, beckoning me in with pink fluorescent lighting, a pastel exterior and row after row of huge cupcakes decorated with sweeties - had I died and gone to some sort of cupcake heaven?! Nope, this haven of cupcake joy is appropriately named:

Candy Cakes.

So now you know. And with more branches opening throughout London, it'll be even harder to resist! Good Luck!

Thursday, 5 March 2009

First layering up: vests, blouses, cardies, jackets etc etc to keep out the cold. Then as soon as you walk into a shop/work/tube station... instantly hot and bothered. Oh, springtime is here.

The answer could well lie in cashmere and more specifically in Central Saint Martin's Graduate LisaT's Spring/Summer '09 collection of gorgeous lightweight cashmere knits.

Worried knit = Scottish grannies?

Fear not, for she pushes design and technical boundaries to produce a collection of interesting textures including plenty of ruffles, pleats and tucks in unusual silhouettes such as bell-sleeved cardigans, body-con dresses and my fave a gorgeous ruffle texture jumper (above) so not only will you be cosy when you need to be and cool when you don't - you'll also be a winner in the style stakes.

Monday, 2 March 2009

After Katie Grand left the helm of POP last year to be editor-in-chief of her new editorial project LOVE, the industry was waiting with bated breath to see who would replace her.

The answer: Dasha Zhukova.

Along with a hand selected new team, including editor-in-chief of French Vogue Carine Roitfeld daughter Julia Restoin Roitfeld, Dasha - already successful in the fashion industry including cult fashion brand Kova & T, and also influential and highly respected in the art world, as founder of The Garage Centre for Contemporary Culture - has the task of re-inventing the magazine as well as the launch of a new website, a new London office, an installation space in Berlin and a partnership with The Saatchi Gallery in London.

The first issue is out on September. Can't wait to see the difference...

Sunday, 1 March 2009

One of my fave designers for the supposed simplicity of his collections hiding the impeccable skills of a designer who can produce collection after collection of perfect simplicity, superb quality and perfect tailoring, whilst always being fashion forward.

Autumn/Winter '09 is no different. A twist on the LBD and a beautiful fabric and a structured silhouette are some my favourite looks of the season.

After certain preconceptions (not least the fact that I can't bear 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire'), I decided to see what all the fuss was about and went to see 'Slumdog Millionaire' today and am so glad I did!

Don't listen to anyone else, don't let the Oscar buzz influence you or in fact as I found - your own preconceptions. Just see what you think! Glad I did.